SEATTLE, May 25, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Seattle Children's announced today that it has signed a letter of intent with Juno Therapeutics, Inc., to expand their collaboration to accelerate the availability of T-cell immunotherapy clinical trials for children and adults with brain tumors, known as gliomas. The aim of the collaboration is to fast-track clinical implementation with the goal of opening Phase 1 clinical trials within the next two years.

In children, brain cancer is the most common solid tumor cancer and the second most common cancer overall. More than half of all brain tumors in children are gliomas, which are tumors that grow in the supportive tissue of the brain. One form of glioma, glioblastoma multiforme, is the most aggressive and deadly form of brain cancer. Currently, there are limited treatment options and most people diagnosed with glioblastoma multiforme will die within a year.

"This is a devastating disease, and there is a major unmet need for effective and safe therapies for brain tumors and cancers that metastasize to the brain," said Dr. Mike Jensen, director of Ben Towne Center for Childhood Cancer Research at Seattle Children's Research Institute. "Current treatments for brain tumors like radiation can do irreparable harm, especially on a child's developing brain, and greatly diminish the quality of life for survivors. We believe the immune system holds the promise of offering safe and effective treatment of brain cancers, while preserving brain function."

To accelerate the development of immunotherapy for gliomas, Jensen, a pioneer in cancer immunotherapy, will apply what his team has learned from the success of the Pediatric Leukemia Adoptive Therapy (PLAT-02) trial for children with relapsed or refractory acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). He and his team will also build on previous achievements in using the IL 13-Zetakine antigen receptor to genetically reprogram T cells to attack glioblastoma multiforme.

"Taking all that we've learned and working to bring another treatment option for patients with solid tumors is an exciting milestone in our mission to harness the power of the immune system to seek and destroy all cancers for patients across the globe," said Jensen. "There is still work to be done and we are grateful to key supporters like Juno that are integral in helping us achieve this goal."

Jensen and his team will manufacture the T cells for the pediatric and adult glioma trials at the Ben Towne Center for Childhood Cancer Research, which has seen great success in reprogramming T cells for cancer treatment. The pediatric clinical trial will be offered at Seattle Children's Hospital.

The expanded collaboration furthers Juno's support of Seattle Children's immunotherapy trials, which has included the sponsorship of research and a license agreement with respect to CAR T-cell technology developed at Seattle Children's Research Institute.

The T-cell immunotherapy trials at Seattle Children's are funded in part by Strong Against Cancer, a national philanthropic initiative with worldwide implications for curing childhood cancers through immunotherapy treatments. If you are interested in supporting the advancement of this medical breakthrough, please visit Strong Against Cancer's donation page.

About Seattle Children'sSeattle Children's Hospital, Foundation and Research Institute together deliver superior patient care, advance new discoveries and treatments through pediatric research, and raise funds to create better futures for patients.

Consistently ranked as one of the best children's hospitals in the country by U.S. News & World Report, Seattle Children's Hospital specializes in meeting the unique physical, emotional and developmental needs of children from infancy through young adulthood. Through the collaboration of physicians in nearly 60 pediatric subspecialties, Seattle Children's Hospital provides inpatient, outpatient, diagnostic, surgical, rehabilitative, behavioral, and emergency and outreach services to families from around the world.

Located in downtown Seattle's biotech corridor, Seattle Children's Research Institute is pushing the boundaries of medical research to find cures for pediatric diseases and improve outcomes for children all over the world. Internationally recognized investigators and staff at the research institute are advancing new discoveries in cancer, genetics, immunology, pathology, infectious disease, injury prevention, bioethics and much more.

Following in the footsteps of a group of philanthropic women who founded Seattle Children's Hospital more than 100 years ago, Seattle Children's Hospital and Research Foundation and Seattle Children's Hospital Guild Association work together to gather community support and raise funds for uncompensated care, clinical care and research. The foundation receives nearly 75,000 gifts each year, from lemonade stand proceeds to corporate sponsorships. Seattle Children's Hospital Guild Association is the largest all-volunteer fundraising network for any hospital in the country, serving as the umbrella organization for 450 groups of people who come together, start a guild and turn an activity they love into a way to support Seattle Children's. Support from the foundation and guild association makes it possible for Seattle Children's care and research teams to come together in an effort to improve the health and well-being of all kids.